Field
The disclosed concept pertains generally to electric vehicle (EV) charging handles. The disclosed concept also pertains to light pipes for EV charging handles. The disclosed concept further pertains to methods of enhancing light visibility.
Background Information
With the development of EV technology, the number of EVs is growing rapidly, and electric vehicle charging stations, similar to gas stations, have become popular. An EV charging station, also called an electric recharging point, charging point, and EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment), is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles, or semi-static and mobile electrical units such as exhibition stands. An EV charging station is a device that safely allows electricity to flow. EV charging stations generally contain a completely separate and unique box along with a connected EV charging handle.
Known EV charging handles include charging status indicator lights and light pipes coupled to the indicator lights. The light pipes transmit light from an interior of the charging handle to an exterior thereof in order to provide an indication to a user of the charging status. Known light pipes are limited in that the user can only see the emitted light within a relatively narrow visibility range.
There is, therefore, room for improvement in EV charging handles and in light pipes therefor.
There is also room for improvement in methods of enhancing light visibility.